The present invention relates generally to a manner by which to display database information at a mobile terminal operable in a radio communication system, such as a cellular mobile terminal operable in a cellular communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, and an associated method, by which to display calendar information at a mobile terminal. Calendar items stored, or generated, locally and calendar items stored, or generated, at a remote source, such as a network calendar database, are displayable simultaneously at the mobile terminal.
Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the development, installation, and widespread usage of wireless communication systems through which to communicate telephonically. In a wireless communication system, a radio link forms at least a portion of a communication path upon which communication signals are transmitted. Increased mobility of communication is, as a result, permitted through the utilization of a wireless communication system.
The network infrastructure of various types of cellular communication systems, for instance, have been installed throughout significant geographical areas. Large numbers of subscribers to such cellular communication systems are able to communicate telephonically when positioned in areas encompassed by the network infrastructure of the system pursuant to which subscription is made. Telephonic communication of both voice and data is generally permitted in such cellular communication systems.
A subscriber to a cellular communication system typically utilizes a mobile terminal which is formed of a radio transceiver capable of both transmitting and receiving radio signals communicated upon radio links with the network infrastructure of the communication system. The term user shall be used herein to identify one utilizing the mobile terminal. Some communication systems utilize digital communication techniques in which information is digitized prior to its communication and subsequent to its reception. Processing circuitry is utilized to act upon information, prior to its transmission, and subsequent to its reception.
The circuitry forming a mobile terminal is oftentimes packaged in a housing which permits convenient carriage of the mobile terminal by a user. Various constructions of mobile terminals are of physical dimensions permitting a user thereof to carry the mobile terminal in a shirt pocket, or the like, of the user.
Because the mobile terminal utilizes processing circuitry, the processing circuitry can also be utilized to perform functions in addition to functions required to effectuate conventional communication operations. That is to say, functionality of other devices can be incorporated into the mobile terminal. For instance, information processing and retrieval functions are sometimes incorporated into a mobile terminal.
For instance, some mobile terminals are capable of communicating with a device connected to a packet data network, such as the Internet. That is to say, packets of data are able to be communicated between a mobile terminal and the device upon a communication pack which includes both the radio link and also a wireline path extending through a packet data backbone to the device. The mobile terminal is able, thereby, to be operated in a manner analogous to that of a personal computer, or other processing device, more typically utilized to access web-based devices.
Online calendars are exemplary of information retrievable from a device coupled to the Internet, or other packet data, backbone. Online calendars generally provide one or more of three types of views. One exemplary online calendar provides a personal calendar view listing the personal calendar of a user. Another online calendar provides an event list of a plurality of events, such as events occurring at a particular facility or events occurring on a particular date. And, another online calendar view forms an interests calendar which contains a subset of an event list filtered by an interest criteria.
Analogous personal calendars are also available for local use at a processing device, such as a personal computer. Such local calendars would also be available for personal use at a mobile terminal containing appropriate circuitry to access, display, and update a local calendar.
A mobile terminal operable in a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) communication system which provides for SMS (Short Message Service) messaging is able to receive and send calendar items by way of a SMS message. Also, calendar items are selectable and a browser application is operable to open automatically a calendar application to handle the calendar item, such as vCalendar or iCalendar. The selection of the calendar application can be based, for instance, on the file type associated therewith, such a VCS.
Online calendars are advantageous for the reason that a user is able to access the calendar using any processing device connectable to the Internet, or other packet-based, backbone. However, the ability to access the backbone, and in turn, the device at which the online calendar is located is, of course, required. Conversely, locally-based calendars are accessible irrespective of access to the backbone. But, calendar items are limited to items which are locally stored or generated.
Conventionally, there is little interaction between conventional online calendars and locally-based calendars. The advantages inherent of an online calendar, therefore, are limited to users of online calendars. And, the advantages inherent of a locally-based calendar are available only to users of locally-based calendars.
If a manner could be provided by which to provide for interaction between locally-based calendars and online calendars, an improved calendar application would be provided.
It is in light of this background information related to the display of database information that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.
The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides apparatus, and an associated method, by which to display calendar information at a mobile terminal operable in a radio communication system. The calendar information displayable at the mobile terminal permits both calendar items stored, or generated, locally at the mobile terminal and calendar items stored, or generated, at a remote source, such as a network calendar database, to be displayed simultaneously at the mobile terminal.
Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, calendar displays generated pursuant to execution of a calendar application include calendar items provided by both a network calendar data base by way of a radio link and also with calendar items stored locally at the mobile terminal. The advantages inherent of both a locally-based calendar application and also of a network-based calendar application are provided by the calendar application of an embodiment of the present invention.
Up to date information pertaining to events of interest to a user of the mobile terminal are retrievable through operation of the calendar application and displayable at a portable, mobile terminal. Events and information, personal to the user of the mobile terminal, or otherwise not desired to be stored at a network-based device, conversely, are storable locally at the mobile terminal, thereby providing confidentiality of the personal information. Calendar displays displayable by the mobile terminal through operation of the calendar application of an embodiment of the present invention thereby permits upon a single calendar display calendar items, stored locally to maintain the confidentiality of such items, together with calendar items retrieved from a remote, network calendar database.
In one aspect of the present invention, calendar displays are displayed in the form of sheets upon a visual display device, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen. One sheet-type is a local sheet in which calendar items retrieved from a local storage element, or locally-entered, calendar items are positioned on the sheet and displayed at the display element of the mobile terminal. The local sheet is exportable to a remote server which forms the network calendar data base as well as another appropriate device through which the sheet is selected to be exported.
Another sheet-type is a pushed sheet in which calendar items are downloaded from a remote location, such as a network calendar data base, to be stored at the storage element of the mobile terminal. Calendar items displayed upon the pushed sheet include the calendar items downloaded to the mobile terminal. Because the calendar items, once downloaded to the mobile terminal, are stored thereat, immediate retrieval of the calendar items is thereafter possible irrespective of subsequent connection, or reconnection, of the mobile terminal to a remote network device.
And, another sheet-type is a network sheet in which calendar items are stored at a network calendar database and are retrieved therefrom to be displayed upon the network sheet. Retrieval of the calendar items to form the network sheet require a connection between the mobile terminal and the network database. Because the calendar items are stored at the network data base, such items are updatable, as appropriate. Thereby, the calendar items which form a network sheet are maintainable in an up-to-date level of accuracy. The calendar items forming the network sheet are also storable at the mobile terminal in like manner to the manner by which the calendar items of the pushed sheets are storable at the mobile terminal.
In one implementation, a calendar application is provided for a mobile terminal operable in a GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) cellular communication system. In one implementation, the GSM system provides for SMS (Short Message Service) messaging, and in another implementation, the GSM system further provides for GPRS (General Packet Radio Service). The mobile terminal is operable in an implementation in which the GSM system provides for SMS messaging to send and to receive SMS messages. And, in an implementation in which the GSM system further provides for GPRS, the mobile terminal is further operable to send and to receive packet data pursuant to GPRS. A calendar application is executable, such as through a user request to display selected calendar items upon a display element of the mobile terminal. Both calendar items stored, or entered locally at the mobile terminal, are displayable upon the display element of the mobile terminal, and calendar items retrieved from a remote network calendar database are displayable upon the display element of the mobile terminal. Calendar items retrieved from the network database and provided locally are displayable together upon a common display sheet, thereby to provide a user of the mobile terminal with both such calendar items.
In these and other aspects, therefore, calendar-display apparatus, and an associated method, is provided for a mobile terminal for displaying calendar information. The mobile terminal is operable in a radio communication system having network infrastructure with which the mobile terminal communicates by way of a radio link. The network infrastructure is coupled to a network-based calendar information source containing at least one network-based calendar item. A mobile-based calendar information source is positioned at the mobile terminal. The mobile-based calendar information source contains at least one mobile-based calendar item. A retriever is positioned at the mobile terminal. The retriever retrieves at least a selected network-based calendar item stored at the network-based calendar information source. The retriever further retrieves at least a selected mobile-based calendar item stored at the mobile-based calendar information source. A display element is coupled to receive indications of the selected network-based calendar item and of the selected mobile-based calendar item. The display element displays together, in human perceptible form, the selected network-based calendar item and the selected mobile-based calendar item.